The Ultimate Challenge
by Kiki Silver
Summary: The great Pietro Maximoff is finally presented with the Ultimate Challenge, and it comes in the form of... Kitty Pryde??!! *CHAPTER 6 IS UP! SORRY FOR THE DELAY* The battle you never thought you'd see: Quicksilver & Avalanche fighting over a girl!!
1. The Fastest Kid Alive

The Ultimate Challenge Disclaimer: I don't own X-Men: Evolution or any of the characters in this story. Marvel and the WB Network owns everything. I'm not making any money off this. This is my first fic ever, I'm sure once I get the hang of this I'll be able to write a more creative disclaimer... 

_Author Notes: I like Quicksilver. A lot. Call me crazy but I think he and Shadowcat would make a good couple...I toyed with the idea of writing Quicksilver as bi-sexual--he's always up for a thrill and doesn't give a damn for social taboos, but I still think he's straight. He's got the James Dean thing going on^^ And Evan, the guy he'd most likely be involved with, is just too lame. So no slash, just ambiguity^^ Please excuse my slight disregard for continuity and proper grammar. Prologue is staged from the end of "Speed and Spyke."_   


**Prologue **

"Hey! You gotta let me out of here!" Pietro Maximoff has spent exactly thirteen minutes behind bars and already he feels his head beginning to explode, the walls closing in, his muscles aching with inactivity even though he's zipping frenetically from one place to another in his cell. Being able to move around quickly in a ten foot cell means nothing to a boy who can run ten miles in less than twenty seconds. Pietro jumps from the floor up to the bars and starts pulling on them with all his might like a plaintive child, yelling, "I want _out_ of here!" 

Suddenly the bars begin to vibrate and Pietro falls in a long, ungraceful heap on the floor. Momentarily shaken, he looks up to see a figure cloaked in crimson shadows standing in the corner of the jail, his body almost invisible except for the eyes that glow like white fire. 

"Wha--_you?_" Pietro is so stunned it takes him a full second to recognize his visitor. 

"It is good to see you again, Pietro," says the man in a cold voice rich with authority and only the slightest touch of amusement. "Even under such...distressing circumstances." 

Pietro glares at the dark tower, too eager to escape from his cell to question the sudden appearance of this apparition, this shadow of the past... "Yeah well you could make them a lot _less_ distressing you know. _C'mon_, hustle it up! _MOVE IT!_" 

_Damn him_, Pietro thinks, _he always just STANDS like that_, silent and impassive and cold, waiting, waiting, waiting, knowing full well that Pietro can't stand being locked up (especially just because he trashed some stupid school lockers), _I need to get out I need to break free!_

"Still impatient," says the oh-so-mysterious yet familiar man. "But you have grown much, Pietro. And I have need of your services..." The figure moves forward and it is almost as if he brings the darkness with him. "_If_ you think you can handle the job." 

"Oohh," says Pietro, undeniably intrigued, "sounds like a challenge." His decision is already made. "OK, whatever you want! just--" Pietro starts pulling on the bars again, "let's _bail_ this jail!" 

"Very well..." The figure raises a hand, fingers outstretched. Pietro steps back warily and watches the bars shake, twist and then yawn open wide enough to accomodate his escape. 

Pietro stands there for a second, enough time for him to the situation. He doesn't stop to think of their last meeting, all he sees is the freedom that is being offered him. 

"Come with me." 

Pietro smiles and slowly takes his father's hand.   


**The Ultimate Challenge   
by Kiki**   
(kikisilver01@yahoo.com) 

_Author's Notes: Part One takes place during and after "Middleverse." DYN: when our heroes are debating whether they should go to Duncan Matthews' party, why does Scott argue that "Dukes or Maximoff might try to start something?" As if Duncan would ever invite the Blob! And why do they all drive off to the party if Kurt's holo-watch is broken? Oh well...on with the show... _

9:42 AM. So here he is, Pietro Maximoff AKA Quicksilver, the fastest boy alive, stuck at boring at old Bayville Public High School. He'll have you know that he's only here so he can get back at his lifelong rival Evan Daniels AKA Spyke. And to show Magneto that he's capable of handling anything. Pietro doesn't really give a hang about anyone's ideology except his own which comes in two four-letter words 

_LIVE FAST_

if you can call that an ideology, which you couldn't but Pietro can because it's all he has and all he can ever remember knowing. 

"Party at Duncan Matthews' tonight," says Lance as he walks by Pietro's locker. 

"Whoopee." 

"Should be there around nine." 

"You mean you're actually going?" 

"Hell yeah, Matthews may be a dumb jock but there'll be free beer and lots of it! Half the school is gonna be there, with no freshmen allowed. His parents are out of town, got the whole huge place to ourselves." 

"Hmm," Pietro cracks an evil smile. Pietro's smile is usually evil. "Doesn't sound _too_ lame." 

"Yeah--but don't tell Blob or Todd about it, 'kay? Todd's too young, and there's only gonna be so much food. It's not really their scene anyway." 

Pietro looks at Lance, the de facto leader of the Brotherhood of Mutants. Lance is a senior, the only one in the Brotherhood, and een though Pietro is smarter and faster, Lance would quit the team entirely if Pietro became leader because Lance could _never_ take orders from a sophomore. Of course Pietro doesn't care, Lance is the closest thing he has to a friend and more importantly, an equal. Pietro doesn't care, he can only feel an irking speedbump or something in his stream of thought every once in a while, but it is happening now when Lance is talking about keeping the party a secret from their "Brothers." Pietro ponders this for a nanosecond, then lets it pass. 

"Yeahsure, whatever--god can you imagine what'd happen if Freddy showed up? He'd eat up all the food and probably half the people in less than a second!" Even for Pietro, that's fast. 

Lance grins. "Yeah, well, we can call him and have him crash if it's lame. Don't think that'll happen though." 

Pietro stops in his tracks (for a millisecond). "What about the X-Geeks?" 

"Are you kidding me?" Lance snorts. "You think Xavier is going to let his toy soldiers out to a party _unchaperoned?_" 

Pietro shrugs. "Dunno. Nevernotho." 

"Heh, if they do show up," says Lance clenching his fist and furrowing his brow, "I'll rock the party that rocks the body." 

Pietro rolls his eyes. "Man, back in New York I'd never have to waste a Friday night at some kegger with football players and dorky high school kids, no matter how _unchaperoned_ it was." 

"Hey man, if you miss New York so much you can move back there," Lance says half-jokingly. 

"Justmightdothat." 

"What?" 

"Nothing. So when's the party?" 

9:21 PM. Mr. and Mrs. Matthews are out of town again and their sole offspring is taking the opportunity to show the rest of Bayville just how rich they are: half the student body is gathered inside the spacious mansion and Duncan apparently has not bothered to put away any of the the valuables: the food selection is good, the kegs are full, the girls are pretty and the music, some half-decent alternative top 40 joint is pumping through the stereo system. 

Pietro feels the _whoomp whoomp_ of the bass resonate inside his hard, slender frame. _Not bad,_ thinks Pietro, checking out the scene. _Not bad. So this is how small-town suburbanites entertain themselves on weekends..._

It had been fairly easy keeping the party a secret from their teammates. Fred wasn't invited--not that any of them had been extended a private invitation, but Fred was the only kid at Bayville who had nearly smashed the host into a pulp on with a row of lockers. And Todd is a freshman, and freshmen were anathema to Duncan Matthews and his crowd--not to mention small, slimy ones. Mystique just replenished their bank accounts so Lance and Pietro bought enough food and rented enough horror movies to keep the Blob and Toad happy and distracted for at least one night. 

Pietro spots Lance near one of the kegs talking to a leggy blonde. It seems Lance is intent on enjoying himself tonight: he's copped a slightly less insouciant pose than usual and is actually talking to some of these preps without openly sneering. Not to mention the cost of the groceries and videos--Lance footed most of the bill. For a split-second Pietro wonders if he should wonder about this sudden burst of social behavior on Lance's part before settling back in his usual ten-miles-a-minute stream of consciousness (too fast to put into words)... 

Pietro moves from room to room, wins a couple of games of pool, chugs a beer, talks to some adoring sophomore girls, wins a game of darts, drinks some more beer, raids Matthews' fridge and swipes some silverware (don't ask). _Yeah, I am the MAN_ he thinks after each of these events. He heads towards the kegs again. _I've never been really smashed before_ he thinks idly. _Wonder what it feels like..._ He passes by a group of seven kids standing in a semi-circle and two of them smile and say hi. You'd think he would be popular cause he's got looks and confidence and style to burn, but _there's something about Pietro Maximoff_ that makes people look twice but ultimately look away...he radiates cold fire and something else that is not quite right, a sureness of movement that is not quite normal. It is impossible to be around him and feel comfortable--you get the feeling that he'd rather be somewhere else and he is doing you a great favor by gracing you with his presence. And on some unsettling level, you realize that he is right. 

Pietro smirks a bit wider than usual after realizing he's in a good mood even though he's moved at sub-sonic speed for more than thirty minutes. Then he spots them--the X-Geeks! _All_ of them, including Kitty Pryde, resident Valley Girl (even though she's from Chicago) and, even more offensive, a FRESHMAN. Pietro will freely admit that he's not overly fond of the Toad, but the thought of that ditzy, snot-nosed little X-Freak being allowed at a Duncan Matthews party while his teammate and friend(?) is stuck sitting at home and probably trying to avoid being eaten by Fred is _annoying_. Very few things can annoy Pietro. Most things only have the capacity to bore him. But this, this is annoying and he's going to do something about it or his name ain't _Pietro Maximoff AKA Quicksilver AKA the fastest kid alive!_   
****

**To be Continued...**


	2. The Pink Kitty

The Ultimate Challege _A/N: I just realized...when and where did Kitty and Pietro first meet? She certainly wasn't there that night Pietro got arrested. The only time she has any kind of screen time with him is when Scott points him and the Blob out at the beginning of "Middleverse." How would he know her name? Mystique briefing? Lance? Hmm...oh well! Plot holes are fun!_

**2.**   
Kitty smiles as she follows Jean through the crowd and resists the urge to hug herself. This is just so totally _cool!_ As far as she can tell, she is the _only_ freshman there--any doubts that Duncan might have had about her being here were quickly erased with one bat of Jean's eyelashes. Of course, she isn't allowed to drink--Scott may have loosened up considerably since the fight with Kurt, but he still gave a talk about "responsible behavior" before he let any of them out of the car. 

Still, this is so _cool!_ The place is loud and crowded, but friendly. A couple of junior girls, cheerleaders who would normally never acknowledge her existence wave and say, "Hey Jean, hey Kitty..." Jean introduces her to Ethan and Stu, two of Bayville's more intelligent football players. Ethan offers her a soda and flirts mildly with both her and Jean, while Stu starts telling a funny story about some pranks the team pulled on Bayville's rival school... Kitty glances over her shoulder and sees Evan playing PS2 with a bunch of seniors on the 70-inch flatscreen TV, Nightcrawler (trying to) breakdance on the dance floor and relishing the spotlight. Things are lively but not out of control, kids are drinking but nobody's throwing up. Even Scott, who is talking to Paul, seems to be having a good time. After the scuffle with the Brotherhood earlier--not to mention almost losing Nightcrawler in a parallel dimension--they're all a little tense. It feels good to act their age for once and be like normal teenagers whose greatest concern is whether the party will be cool or lame. 

_Could this evening get any better?_ Kitty thinks as she heads to the dance floor with Jean, Karen, Piper and Stu. _Wait'll I tell Becky and Erin on Monday!_

Suddenly (wonder of wonders), the strap on her platform sandal comes loose and Kitty nearly trips over her own feet but manages to regain her balance in time, thus avoiding _supremo_ public humiliation. She blushes and retreats to an empty space near the door to tie her sandal, glancing around and hoping against hope that nobody saw her little slip-up. 

Then, of course 

"What's a stray kitten like yourself doing in a place like this?" The voice is smooth, arrogant and masculine, but the words pour fast out like water rushing over rocks, very sharp rocks, sounds that she isn't sure she should like or dislike. In the few seconds it takes to redo her strap, Kitty thinks that the voice might be familiar but she can't quite place it--in her kneeling position all she can see is his legs. He's wearing dark blue jeans and light blue sneakers. So she puts on a smile and raises her face, pretty and confused and eager-to-please, towards this upperclassman with the cool shoes... 

_Oh NO_

That unmistakable shock of silver-white hair that no bleach could create, those gravity-defying bangs that almost look like devil horns, the lean frame drawn up in that too-proud stance, the aquiline features that are more marble than flesh and those freezing cold blue eyes looking down at her... 

Kitty realizes she is still in a kneeling position and quickly scrambles to her feet. Her eyes dart around his thin silhouette for Scott or Jean, but there is no sign of any of her teammates. 

He is being cheesy. Let her think that he is trying to flirt with her. "Whatsamatter, kid? Cat gotcher tongue?" 

"Like, what are you doing here?" 

"What am I doing here? What are you doing here? I thought no freshmen were allowed," Pietro sneers. 

She crosses her arms and tries to match his contempt. "Not like it's any of your business, loser, but I'm here with my friends." 

"You mean the rest of Bayville's own genetically-warped Brady Bunch? Gee, that's really swell of Mr. Xavier to let you out on weekends every once in a while. Especially you, _Kitty._" He manages to make her name sound like an insult. "Ooh, just look at the time! Shouldn't you be in bed by now?" 

He is talking so fast that it is hard for Kitty to understand what he's saying--except that he is teasing her. Teasing, or making fun? From the little that she's heard about Pietro from Evan--told in language that earns him a look from his Aunt Ororo that could freeze a lake in July--she only knows that he's super fast and has an ego the size of a space shuttle. She has never seen him up close and, uh, personal. 

"Uhm," she is still completely off guard, _not good_ to be around an enemy like this, "gotta go--" 

"_Heeyyyy_ now," In one swift, graceful motion Pietro blocks her exit. "C'mon Pryde, it's a party! Don't be so anti-social. You know, I don't believe we've ever been properly introduced." He extends his hand in a gentlemanly fashion. "I am Pietro Maximoff. Pleased to make your acquaintance." Before she can protest he grabs her hand and plants a hard, dry kiss on top of it. 

Kitty's cheeks burn with anger, embarassment and a disorienting kind of--certainly not pleasure! Pietro watches the apples of her cheeks flush a deep rose, and he smirks. Watching the play of emotions on her pretty face flicker between confusion and fear and delight is--for some reason Pietro cannot understand--more fun than trashing lockers! Most people turn beet red when they blush, but her embarassment suits her, he notes absently. 

They stand there for a while. Actually, it's only three seconds. Long enough for Kitty to come to her senses and realize that this is a _bad_ guy! A social misfit, a dangerous mutant, part of the Brotherhood and the dark icky side--even if he totally doesn't look the part. 

"Ew, are you like drunk or something? Like, get away from me!" 

"Oh, I had a coupla drinks, beer's pretty good here, can I get you one?" Pietro grins. "Oh right, I'm sorry, forgot--good little girls like yourself don't drink. _Just say no!_ That what they teach you that at the Institute?" 

"Kitty!" Kurt suddenly appears behind Pietro--even without his power he always seems to be popping up unexpectedly in the most random places. But Kitty has never been so glad to see the fuzzy blue elf (even though he's got his holo-watch and isn't fuzzy, blue or elfin at the moment) before in her life. 

"Kurt!" she replies, a little louder than necessary. 

Kurt makes a great show of rubbing his back. "Man, breakdancing is a lot harder than it looks! C'mon Kitty, let's dance!" 

"Totally! In fact, I was just _leaving._" She turns on her platform heel and quickly walks away. 

Kurt, better known as Nightcrawler or _that blue-furred freak_ to the Brotherhood, shoots a look at Pietro over his shoulder before following Kitty out onto the dance floor. The two boys have never met and know nothing about each other, but their mentors and teammates are on opposing sides, therefore they must be enemies. But Kurt's eyes are not hateful or even distrustful, just open and questioning, perhaps a little suspicious or even a little 

_jealous?_

Pietro doesn't know, doesn't notice, he just sees Kurt looking at him. Pietro doesn't move, doesn't try to appear more at ease or more confident than he already is. He just holds the X-Man's stare and simply projects--though he's not a telepath, his posture and expression are enough to get his message across-- 

_Yes, I am way better than you could ever be_

but Kurt doesn't hold Pietro's gaze nor make a point of turning his back, just turns to join Kitty in a movement that is as natural as can be. 

_Ha!_ Pietro feels triumphant, thus he is able to dismiss Nightcrawler entirely. Pietro almost takes a step to follow Kitty because his head knows even if his brain doesn't that he wants more of that blush. 

_Oohh, BLUSH. Thiiiinnnkkkk PINK! Pink? Pink Panther-PINK KITTY! Pink Kitty cat! Hello Kitty! Pepto Bismol! I'm hungry.___

Typical Quicksilver line of thought. He forgets all about Kitty and goes off in search of cheetos.   


**To be continued! You didn't think that was the end, did you?^^**


	3. Semi-circle of Friends

The Ultimate Challenge _A/N: First off, I'd like to thank everyone who has reviewed the story--thanks so much, you have no idea what this means to a first-time ficcer! With reviews like these, I'll definitely keep going^^ Anyway, I'm still hung up on the fact that there's not much interaction between the X-Gee--err, I mean, the X-Men and the Brotherhood. Unless their respective caretakers brief them on a regular basis, all their knowledge of each other is based on rumors, assumptions and lines in the sand. Hmm... _

**3. Semi-circle of Friends**

"Vhat was _that_ all about?" Kurt asks as soon as they are out of earshot of the Brotherhood member. 

"I...I'm not really sure," Kitty finally says. They stand on the outskirts of the dance floor. 

"Are you OK?" Kurt's eyes are wide with concern and Kitty knows full well what he is really asking. 

"Yeah..." she is OK though her world feels a little shaky, not just from her encounter with Quicksilver but everything with the upperclassmen and the music and that heady party feeling--"but Evan's totally right about Pietro--he's a total jerk!" 

"No surprise there," Kurt jokes. "Are you _sure_ you're OK, Kitty?" 

"I'm sure--uhm, like all he did was talk to me..." Kitty says, not knowing what to make of this overprotective edge in Kurt's voice and not wanting to deal with it tonight. He has flirted with her but not in any serious way, not yet. She hopes the furious rose color has faded or it's too dark to see things clearly in here. 

Kurt gazes at her a moment longer, then decides that she is fine and goes back to his normal 

_?!_

exuberant Kurt-self. "Let's dance!" 

Kitty smiles, but before they go, she figures she owes him this 

"Uhm, Kurt?" 

"Ja?" 

"Thanks." 

He grins as wide as she's ever seen. "Anytime, Kitty." 

But before they can reach the dance floor, Evan pushes through the crowd of people and slams into both of them. 

"Whoa! _Easy_ man!" Kurt points to his holo-watch. 

"What did Maximoff want?" Evan demands angrily. 

"Like, geez, took you long enough," Kitty says sarcastically, rubbing her arm. "He was just asking why I was allowed to be here, since there's like a no-freshman policy." 

"Oh..." Evan's eyes narrow as he scans the room for that silvery-white hair and brown sweater, then looks back at Kitty and shakes his head as if he has just remembered something. "Uh, you OK? He didn't hurt you or anything, did he?" Evan asks almost eagerly. He clenches his fist. Muscles tense over thick bone. 

"No. Sorry to disappoint you," Kitty replies, still rubbing her arm.<

"Huh. Well, you better watch out for Pietro from now on, Kitty," says Evan. "He's a creep, stay away from him." 

Just a second ago Kitty was thinking the exact same thing, but the way Evan has just spoken to her--like he was the almighty team leader instead of a fellow freshman--and her arm still smarts! 

"Why?" she asks simply. 

"Why?" Evan stares at her. "Just stay away from him!" he practically shouts. It has only been a few days since the rivalry between Evan Daniels and Pietro Maximoff came to a head. "He's...dangerous! He's mean! He's our _enemy_, for crying out loud!" 

"What's going on here?" Jean emerges from the crowd. "Evan, not so loud," she speaks mildly and rubs her temple. 

"The Brotherhood. They're here. Vell, Quicksilver is anyway." says Kurt. 

Jean raises an eyebrow. "Where's Scott?" 

"Here. I heard." Scott approaches them. His mouth is set in a straight line. "Just ran across our old friend Lance Alvers. Any sign of the others?" 

"Lemme check..." Jean closes her eyes in concentration. "No, but it's hard to tell with so many people here. They could be outside...not that Duncan would ever let Toad or the Blob past the front gates." 

"Uhm, like does this mean we're leaving?" Kitty looks up worriedly. 

Scott sighs. "Well, as long as we're here we might as well stay. There's a lot of people here and if Alvers or Maximoff try to start something, we have to do damage control." 

"Aw man, just how I wanna spend my Friday night--babysitting the Brotherhood!" This from Evan. 

"You said it, mein friend!" 

"So like what are we supposed to do, then?" asks Kitty, relieved that they are going to stay but nervous about another encounter with the silver-haired speed demon...or even worse, Lance. 

"Try staying away from them," Evan says sarcastically. "Especially Pietro. If he comes up to you again, just turn around and walk the other way." 

"Say what?" Scott turns to look at Kitty and frowns. "When did this happen?" 

Kitty opens her mouth to speak-- 

"Just a few seconds ago. I saw them talking and came over--uhh, soon as I finished my round of Tekken." Evan. 

"I got there before Evan but I think he vas talking to her for a while." Kurt. 

"What could Maximoff possibly have to say to her that would take more than a second?!" Evan, yelling. 

"Don't know. He kissed her though." Kurt, quietly. 

--then closes it and sighs. 

"He kissed you?" Both Scott and Jean look at Kitty incredulously. 

"Uhm...just my hand." 

Scott's frown deepens with suspicion--but not towards Kitty, of course. "Evan's right, Kitty. Maximoff may not have been there during our fight with the Brotherhood, but it sounds like he's up to something. I think you'd better steer clear of that guy. If you see him coming, just let us know. If anything happens, we'll deal with it." 

"Yeah Kitty, leave Maximoff to me." A small spike suddenly protrudes from Evan's forearm. 

"Hey, watch the spike!" Scott moves to shield Evan from the crowd's view. "Remember what we talked about...and I thought Kurt would be the one to lose control," he says dryly. 

"Hey!" 

"I think it woud be best if you stayed away too, Evan," says Jean. 

"Fine, whatever." Evan lowers his arm and the bit of bone sticking out from his arm disappears. He turns to go back to the PS2, muttering loudly, "best if we _all_ stay away from him." 

"You don't need to like tell me more than once." Annoyed, Kitty turns to break away from the semi-circle but Scott stops her. 

"What did Maximoff have to say to you, exactly?" 

Kitty sighs. "I don't know--he was just like curious why I was here, you know cause I'm like a freshman and all." 

"Are you _sure?_" 

_Well, he did mention the Institute, _Kitty thinks, but Scott's obvious lack of faith in her perceptive abilities prompt her to say _yes, she's sure_. The party is happening all around them and the latest song from Cher comes blasting through the stereo, but they're all stuck standing there in a corner because of--what? Kitty, almost boiling with impatience and annoyance shifts from one foot to the other. "This is supposed to be a party, right?" she says. "Like is it so impossible that a guy would want to talk to me?" 

"Not one from the Brotherhood." A slight look of revulsion passes over Jean's perfect face. 

"Look, it's no big deal, Evan's totally blowing this way out of proportion--I mean it's not like the guy was trying to pick a fight with me or anything." 

Scott's handsome face is still tense and drawn. Kurt remains silent, but Kitty doesn't notice him. "I don't trust that kid farther than I can throw him--he's completely unpredictable. Keep a lookout, Kitty, and let us know--" 

_Jeez, how many times can a guy repeat himself?_ "I can like take care of myself, you know." 

Scott and Jean exchange looks. "It's not that, Kitty," says Jean. "It's just that we've seen this guy in action and we're concerned about what might happen to you if--" 

"For the last time, I'm totally OK! Ooh, they're playing Cher--gotta go!" Before her teammates can repeat themselves again, she runs off to the dance floor. 

Kitty is a natural dancer. She quickly loses herself in the music, a dancer in her element. Her slender body is graceful while her moves hip and modern. _Finally_, she thinks in that unthinking state of synthesis of mind and body, _finally_... 

Pietro re-enters the huge living room, flicking imaginary orange crumbs from his brown cashmere pullover. He does not look for Kitty, he hasn't even thought about her since his mental free association that began with her ended in a hankering for Cheetos. But he catches sight of that little pink cardigan 

_Pink!_ his brain cries joyfully 

so he watches her get her groove on to 

_Do you BelieEEeeVE in life after love--_

"Man, Matthews has the worst taste in music!" Pietro hears Daniels say and for once he agrees with him. But he can't be bothered with thinking nasty thoughts about his arch-rival right now--plenty of time for _that_--because he is watching something pretty dance. She's...not bad, he decides after four seconds. "Not bad" from Pietro Maximoff is like a standing ovation from anyone else. 

His desire to see her blush renewed, Pietro heads to the dance floor. Maybe he can insult her dancing--yeah, that might work... 

Kitty sees him coming but she doesn't give notice and she doesn't stop dancing. When she is dancing she is _on_, she is free, no one can touch her any more than they could when she is in phase form. Perhaps it is because he has embarassed her and she knows that in such a state she _could_ get back at such an enemy--a totally cute and sexy enemy at that. Perhaps it is because of Lance, Kurt and every other weird guy whose interest she does not return, at least not in _that_ way. Perhaps it is the frustration, boredom and annoyance at having to hear Evan. of all people, and Scott lecture her umpteen million times. Perhaps it is the fact that everyone, even those who know her best, continue to underestimate her...partly her own fault. Or maybe, above all things, it's the thrill of being out late at night doing something fun and normal, something in the air besides the pungent sweat of bodies moving to the beat, the heady feeling that _something must happen_ that inspire Kitty to say 

"Hi, Pietro. Wanna dance?" 

  
**So what's the challenge? Read, review and find out!**


	4. Pas de Deux

The Ultimate Challenge _Hey, it's finished!--this chapter at least^^ MUCH thanks to Celenna for suggesting "I Knew I Loved You" by Savage Garden as the slow song, and thanks to everyone else for sending me all their suggestions as well! You guys are the best! Chapter 5 is coming right up, so please read and review! Thanks! _

**4. Pas de Deux**

Kitty Pryde is smiling 

_at him???_

a secret smile. Maybe it is the weird party lighting in Duncan's living room, but her face seems alight with something like 

_I know something you don't know_

hinting of all the wonderful things she could share with him. 

Pietro stands there and lets her words sink in. Her invitation to dance 

_...almost sounds like a challenge. Silly girl. Tricks are for kids who know what the hell they're doing._

He grins and wordlessly joins her, but she shies away almost teasingly to the center of the room so that they're protected from outside eyes by the mass of bodies dancing in the velvety darkness. 

Cher ends and a new song begins, one that neither of them has heard before. The incomprehensible lyrics give way to a deeper meaning as they start to move to the music. Pietro is a good dancer (of course) even though he hasn't had many opportunities to dance before. This talent is completely his because it is separate from his mutant powers--all the speed in the world can't make up for a sense of rhythm. Thus Pietro can join Kitty in a place where Time which has always been an unfathomable blur or an imperceptibly _sloooowwww_ march somehow seems to 

STOP 

but they are freer than they have ever been from it before because they are in the Now--something that never lasts but is always happening--and feel themselves surrounded by the magic of the moment 

_Forget the Institute. Forget the Brotherhood. Forget authority. Forget loyalty. Forget that you are enemies. Forget the insane war you are about to fight. Let the music inside you_

And suddenly they are just a boy and a girl dancing together who are both very young and beautiful and attracted to each other in spite of everything. Or maybe because of everything. 

For Pietro, it is a simple thing. He is attracted to Kitty Pryde like a bee towards honey or a toddler to a shiny object. He doesn't question it because he rarely questions anything. He will forget her tomorrow or maybe even sooner. After all, a boy who experiences things ten times faster than the average man is sure to forget things faster too...right? This is not to say that Pietro Maximoff has no memory. He knows many things that few people will ever know. He just can't remember where or how he learned them... 

Kitty turns and sways, and even though to Pietro she might as well be moving in slow motion she is...enchanting 

_Do not begin thinking why. See her in the here and now. See that she is in front of you and see that she is dancing and SEE that she is the loveliest thing you have ever seen_

They dance close to one another. Now and then his hand brushes her waist. Or her fingertips press against his chest. Or their legs touch. Or their eyes meet. The language of the dance is simple 

_You're pretty _

So are you 

I like you 

I like you 

Who are you? 

Don't hurt me 

Come closer 

Too close 

You're pretty 

Then the music stops and the spell is broken. A new song begins, one that is slow and unmistakably romantic. The ones dancing by themselves quietly retreat to the corners or to another room. The whole atmosphere changes and two are trapped back in real time. 

_Maybe it's intuition_

Kitty is still and realizes just how vulnerable she is. The slow, undulating bodies that provided refuge before have now trapped her inside with this speed demon. 

_some things you just don't question_

Pietro looks at her, standing there looking more alone than he has ever seen her, and for no good reason whatsoever he offers his hand and his trademark smirk. "May I have this dance?" 

_like in your eyes, I see my future in an instant_ Kitty pauses so Pietro isn't sure if she is hesitant or if he has been standing there forever. But she takes his hand and her eyes are shining though she does not smile. "Such a gentleman." 

_and there it goes, I think I've found my best friend_

"I try," he smirks and pulls her close to him. 

_I know that it might sound   
more than a little crazy_

"Just, uhm..." 

_but I believe_

"What? Whatisit?" 

_I knew I loved you before I met you_   
_I think I dreamed you into life_

"Uhm, just like watch where you put those fast hands of yours cause you know, uhm, I might not like know if you're going too fast where you, uhhm..." 

_I knew I loved you before I met you_

Pietro scowls. "I'm not a _total_ jerk, Pryde." 

_I have been waiting all my life_

"Oh right, like I'll believe that when I see it," she smirks, happy now that she has scored a point. 

"Yeah, sure. C'mon." Quickly but gently Pietro draws Kitty to him again and places his hands on the exact center of her back. Kitty's catches her breath at such intimate contact with one of her worst enemies. Her face is level with his collarbone and she can smell his icy cologne. Pietro looks down at her with an expression that is half-mocking, half-caressing. "Happy now?" 

_there's just no rhyme or reason   
only the sense of completion_

"Uh..mm..." 

_and in your eyes I see the missing pieces   
I'm searching for, I think I've found my way home_

Having her slender body pressed against him and inhaling the vanilla-y scent of her hair causes a happy feeling somewhere in Pietro's abdomen. They gently sway, barely even moving at all because there's very little room but _this is nice_ he thinks. He wonders if he can... 

_I know that it might sound   
more than a little crazy   
but I believe_

"Man, this song sucks." His hands drift to just above her hips. 

_I knew I loved you before I met you_

"I like it..." 

"You would." 

"Like, shut up, you're the one who wanted to dance!" Her face is nestled against his shoulder but he can see that she is smiling a little. 

_I think I dreamed you into life_

Kitty Pryde has never slow danced with a guy before. She had never been popular at her old school in Northbrook--girls like Riley had seen to that--and she has never had a boyfriend. Her ideas about boys come from books and TV and her parents and when she feels Pietro's hands moving down her body ever-so-slightly all her second-hand knowledge goes flying out the window and she panicks as a voice inside commands _don't let him go any further!_--even though it feels kind of nice. But his hands stop somewhere between her stomach and hips and stay there. Relieved but nervous and angry at herself for not being more sophisticated, Kitty racks her brain for something to say to this unpredictable boy... 

_I knew I loved you before I met you_

"This must be hard for you--I mean like with your powers and all. Uhm, slow dancing, I mean..." 

_I have been waiting all my life_

Pietro smiles. "Ah, not really. Slow dancing isn't really dancing you see, it's just an excuse for the guy to get his arms around a pretty girl." 

_A thousand angels dance around you_

"Oh..." Kitty's heart is beating so hard she is sure Pietro can feel it. She's used to being called pretty--at least by her parents and (ugh) Lance--but when Pietro says it she feels like her face is on fire. _Get a grip, girl! It's just Pietro Maximoff! Evan says he wears little rocketship underwear! Waitasec-how would Evan know that?..._Kitty lets that thought go unfinished and concentrates on the feeling of Pietro's broad shoulders beneath her fingertips . 

_I am complete now that I found you_

They dance to the chorus and then the song ends. Out of the corner of her eye Kitty sees a head of bleached blond hair, which reminds her of Evan who reminds her of teammates who remind her of what will happen if they catch her dancing with Quicksilver. "Uh, let's like go somewhere more private," she says hastily. 

Pietro's blue eyes widen almost innocently and he has to pinch himself from grinning like an idiot. "OK. Sure." 

Pietro lets Kitty lead him off the dance floor but swings around at the last second to shoot a triumphant smirk at Evan Daniels (who he _knows_ has been watching them for a while now) and gives him a two-fingered salute. Then he disappears with Kitty into the crowd, leaving Evan to glare daggers at their backs. 

But even Pietro's eagle eyes have missed the one other person who has seen him dancing with Kitty Pryde. That person is standing behind the stereo speakers, his clenched fists shaking with rage.   


**Hehe I'm having way too much fun with these cliffhangers!^-^ Can you guess who the guy standing in the shadows is?**


	5. The Dark Room

The Dark Room _OK, by now we all pretty much know that Lance likes Kitty--I had an idea that he did before, but no idea how much :P For all you who guessed it's Lance standing in the shadows, give yourselves a gold star^^ I'm soooo sorry this chapter took so long! mwah!! :(_

**5. The Dark Room**

Kitty and Pietro push through the crowd of partygoers through the living room into the foyer. By now the house is packed and the party is bigger, noisier, hotter. Kitty doesn't stop to think--all the upperclassmen pushing around her who seemed so cool suddenly seem threatening. A burly football player passes by her and nearly knocks her to the floor. Her eyes sting from the smoke in the air and she's having a hard time breathing--it's taking every ounce of self-control Xavier has instilled in her not to just phase out of there. 

"Hey Kitty you ok?" Pietro tightens his grasp on her hand. He can see her shoulder blades tense like wings her sweater as she is overwhelmed by the crowd of people who are all taller, wider and older than she. 

Kitty tries to grasp for breath and inhales a cloud of smoke instead. "Yeah," she says, trying to keep from coughing. 

Pietro looks at her. "Uh, yeah. Right. Here lemme take the lead for a sec." He pulls her towards him and turns so that he is now in front of her. "C'mon." He deftly moves through the crowd with the speed and accuracy of a sharp blade, all the while keeping a firm hold on Kitty's hand. They reach the staircase and Pietro flattens his body against the wall to make way for a tipsy linebacker. They are upstairs in a dark guest room before Kitty knows it. 

"You OK now, Kitty?" his voice comes through the darkness all breathy and sable. 

"Uhm, yeah. _*Cough*_ Like, thanks for getting me out of there." 

"Like, no problem." 

If it were any other girl Pietro would have laughed. But this is Kitty Pryde. She could take off her all her clothes and it would be completely innocent it would just be because she was hot--it would have nothing to do with him. The thought of Kitty naked is more unsettling than he expected, like a stranger paying a compliment that is too intimately sincere. 

As soon as Kitty catches her breath, she immediately becomes aware of the situation and all its implications. Alone with Pietro Maximoff. In a bedroom. In the dark. Behind a closed door. At a Duncan Matthews party. 

With a speed that rivals Quicksilver Kitty moves away from the bed and turns on a lamp and sits on a small couch near the window. She sees Pietro leaning there against the wall opposite her with his hands in his pocket and no expression on his face, not the slightest hint of a smirk. She hadn't seen the earring in his left ear before. She tries to remember which side means you are gay. Kitty smiles to herself and plays with a thread coming loose from her favorite pink sweater. 

Time passes (exactly 1 and 3/8 of a second)... 

The nice thing about superspeed is that you don't just move fast, but you think fast as well--your mind has to process information at a highly accelerated rate just to keep up with your body. It doesn't necessarily mean that Pietro Maximoff is a genius, but he has ages to come up with his response before people have even released the last word from their mouths. So he rarely looks foolish, nervous or embarassed. It comes in handy, especially when talking to an attractive member of the opposite sex. 

_What to say, what to say...Already asked if she was OK. How about--nice sweater ya got there Kitty? Uh, no. Howzabout where you learn to dance like that? Damn! Uh wait. No, shite. OK--I got it--_

Pietro opens his mouth to shoot off his perfectly timed, perfectly witty little comment but then he sees Kitty bathed in the soft golden light of the lamp, like a statue of an angel that Pietro saw somewhere, and his body remembers hers falling into his caress, so Pietro just walks over and flops down on the cushion, rolls over and ends up with his head lying _right in her lap! Whee!_ He cranes his neck back over her leg and flashes her an evil grin. "You got bony legs, Pryde." 

"You're one to talk!" Kitty reaches out and runs her fingers over his silver-white strands. Silky... She grins in spite of herself. "My friends would like, kill me if they knew I was here," she says a little absently. 

"Listen Pryde, you're the one who wanted to 'go somewhere more private.' You practically dragged me up here. If anyone's going to be nervous, it should be _me_. How do I know you won't take advantage of my innocence?" 

Kitty has to laugh at that one. "Riiight. Hey, I know this is kind of a random question but I've always wondered--do you eat a lot since you move around so fast all the time?" 

Pietro rests his head on her lap. It's nice. "Uh, yeah, I guess. Not like an insane amount or anything and not even close to the amount that Fred eats--but enough to keep me going. Food bills are never a problem. I just steal it if I'm hungry and have no cash on me." _Take that, Duncan Matthews!_ "Uh, why do you ask?" 

"Oh, no reason, really." Kitty cocks her head and looks down at Pietro's fair face. Evan needs sustenance for his powers too--boy must drink two gallons of milk a day. The speed demon and the spike-boy are more alike than one would imagine, so opposite that they are the same...like layering mirror images on top of each other... "I was just wondering, you know, since you're pretty skinny." 

"I'm _skinny?!_" Pietro's eyes widen and shoulders stiffen as he shoots right up in a sitting position, staring at Kitty. Danger, danger! Pietro's ego is in imminent danger of being bruised--by an X-Geek, no less! 

"No, not like, in a bad way! I mean, you know, like slim--uhm...it's better that way, I hate big muscle-y guys, Jean likes 'em tho', which is about the only reason why she likes Duncan, uhm..." 

"Yeah, sure OK--_my_ turn." Pietro grins and flips around with a totally serious expression on his face. 

"Uhm, okay. Shoot." 

"How come you don't phase out of your clothes?" 

She hurls a pillow at him in a long, lazy arc and he lets her. Then he is on top of her and she is laughing as he tickles her under her arms, behind her legs, all those soft secret places of her with feather-light and lightning-fast (but not TOO fast) touches and then his lips are pressing against hers _hard_ and he thrusts his tongue beyond her teeth. She tastes like 

_strawberries! yummy yum yumm ummmmmmmmmm_

"Whoa!" she gasps and pulls away from him. "You're like moving way too fast!" 

Pietro smiles a little darkly. "I'm the fastest man alive, baby." 

"Yeah, well, _some_ things are better if they're done slowly," Kitty says meaningfully, her eyes lowered and her cheeks rosey as she straightens her sweater. 

He doesn't get her meaning at first (not too quick on the uptake tonight now is he?) then his skin which is the color of parchment takes on a deep, rosey underbloom to match hers (not so innocent after all is she? or is she?) 

cause he's never really done _it_ before but don't tell Lance because the two tell stories all the time and try to outdo each other but Pietro has always been scared he's afraid he might get carried away and hurt her or worse cause her to _laugh_ at him (even though it is well known that Pietro Maximoff could seduce a Texan football player as easily as a drunken sorority chick) 

_It would be easy if I was with the right girl_

But Pietro knows this is impossible because nobody can keep up with him no body can match his and no girl (at least not at Bayville) is good enough to catch him. No one even comes close... 

Pietro stops and looks down at Kitty who is looking up at him with deep, glistening eyes filled with something that he cannot fathom. 

_Is she going to kiss me or burst into tears or what?_

For what seems like an hour he just stays there propped up on his arms looking at her cute little heart-shaped face and her wide blue eyes that are lighter than his own and her mouth--then she smiles slowly and then he smiles too, leaning forward so that she can draw the tip of her tongue along his upper lip, soft, warm, wet and agonizingly_slow_... both of their bodies still, with just the play of their lips and tongues on and inside each other 

Suddenly, the room is shaking and there is a loud crash as the door flies open. Kitty's heart almost leaps through her chest and her eyes widen with fear, but Pietro just sighs and closes his eyes. He knows who it is, and he is not afraid because he never thinks more than two seconds ahead of himself. But he should be. 

"Well," Lance Alvers speaks in a bored voice even as he cracks his knuckles, his tall, dark frame looming in the empty doorframe. "Ain't this _cozy._" 

**TO BE CONTINUED! It's the battle of the century--Lance Alvers vs. Pietro Maximoff, X-Men vs. Brotherhood, and Britney vs. Christina! Feedback is like manna from heaven! *bambi eyes***


	6. Bringing Down the House

_Hey, check out Duncan's phat pad in "Power Surge!" I always assumed he lived in some 4-story manse like most rich New upstate New Yorkers, but I guess the writers decided a modern L.A.-ish glass thing on a cliff was more appropriate :P Looks straight out of Charlie's Angels. Well for purposes of this chapter, Duncan lives in a brick mansion with multiple stories :P And Kurt and Evan get to act like dorks^^_

**6. Bringing Down The House**

"...their new album is a perfect example of their growth as artists, not just in the melodies and lyrics, which are more cohesive and muscular than ever before, respectively...but the deeper, slightly ironic undertones of their new mature sound--unlike the one-dimensional distillation of their contemporaries." 

"Ach, ja right man! _Black and Blue_ totally did not sell as many copies as _No Strings Attached_. Zat proves zat N'SYNC is better than BSB once and for all!" 

Evan snorts and rolls his eyes. "And I suppose you think Christina is hotter than Britney--" 

This profoundly intellectual debate is suddenly interrupted by a tremor and then a CRASH as those who are still somewhat sober look around for the source of the noise 

"What the hell was that?!" Evan jumps nearly twenty feet in the air (like he did that time in the pool right after he was recruited to the X-Men) 

"I don't know man! I zink it came from..." 

_Upstairs_

"Lance, what the fuck?!" Pietro jumps up, too busy straightening his sweater and smoothing down his hair to look at his so-called Brother. The seismic wave sent both Pietro, Kitty and the couch they were lying on crashing to the floor. 

Kitty gets up slowly, keeping Lance in her sight but avoiding eye contact. She almost phased right through the floor with the shock of that tremor. Of all the people to discover her and Quicksilver practically in bed together, it had to be Lance Alvers... 

Pietro arches an eyebrow. Lance doesn't move. His tall, muscular body is still blocking the doorway. The two boys stare at the each other, as different as night and day, one sleek and light and beautiful to the point of feminine, the other dark and brooding and so masculine even at so young an age. Without thinking Pietro folds his arms creating a greater barrier between Lance and Kitty. 

Lance Alvers is one of the reasons parents lock their daughters up at night. He's that tall, dark bad boy with the hidden soft side that fuels the fantasy of every female just shy of 29, but if you get him angry enoung he'll put you in the hospital and lose no sleep over it. And he's as dangerous to his friends as he is to his enemies. 

Pietro knows this, sees this but doesn't anticipate a fight. Not yet. Sees the tearing in Lance's eyes as Kitty moves behind Pietro's body and places her pretty little hands on his back. Sees Lance's fists strain in those black fingerless gloves. Doesn't connect these little details with the memory of that night when Lance got drunk and told him how he really felt about a certain brown-haired, blue-eyed nymphet, all the things he wanted to say to her and do to her. Doesn't remember but should remember. That was the only time Pietro has ever seen Lance cry. 

"_Problem_, Lance?" Pietro's smile is like a silver knife. 

Without a word, Lance charges forward with a cry of rage frustration madness Kitty has heard before that day in the office when for the first time her life flashed before her eyes as the ceiling tumbled down instinct kicked in and she phased through the rubble without even knowing it, when for a split second she was standing in that not-place of darkness that could have been death 

Caught by surprise Pietro is thrown to the floor on his back, all air gone from his body. It takes him a second to realize that Lance's rough, calloused fingers are closed around his neck and that Lance is saying something 

"Don't you _EVER_ touch her again! You touch her and I'll kill you! I'll kill you you hear me?!" Trying to catch Pietro Maximoff is as easy as catching moonbeams in a jar, but Lance is by far the stronger of the two, and now that he has Pietro his hands tighten around that marble throat, his weight crushing that butterfly-like ribcage--even Lance cannot help marvelling at the delicacy of the lines of Pietro's neck and jaw...Lance, who appreciates beauty and grace more than anyone knows, even if he can only end up destroying it. Pietro's beauty only reminds him of what is lost to him forever. Lance chokes back a sob and squeezes tighter without even realizing it. 

"Lance, stop it! Stop it you're killing him! Lance, _NO!_" Kitty's vocal and mental scream is heard throughout the house. Jean collapses into Scott's arms and utters one word 

_"Upstairs"_

Scott wraps his arms around Jean's body and yells at Kurt who senses Kitty in danger and teleports upstairs. The hallway is empty and he hears the screams from the farthest room down. Kurt runs down the hall and in the dark room and his eyes glow yellow behind the hologram, adjusting to the darkness. There he sees Lance with his legs on other side of Pietro who is lying on the floor. Lance's back is to him and Kitty is crying, and for just one second, Kurt misunderstands... 

_It is almost funny really_

"Kurt!" Kitty turns her tearstained, hysterical face (beautiful even now) towards him. "Get him out of here, Lance will kill him!" 

Kurt immediately jumps on Lance's back. Amazingly, Lance keels over to one side and lands with a THUMP under the elf's light weight. Pietro is up on his feet in a flash, coughing and rubbing his throat but otherwise back to his normal perfect self. 

Lance promptly turns to the side and vomits. 

"Lance, you're _*cough* *hack*_ drunk," Pietro says, disgusted. 

Lance says nothing. He sits doubled over with his hands planted on the floor, his eyes rolled up in the back of his head. 

This time there is no mistaking the shockwave. Pietro, Kitty and Kurt are all thrown across the room as the floor buckles and rolls and the air itself trembles with the power of the Avalanche 

"EARTHQUAKE!" Screams downstairs. 

"Oh no..." Scott casts his eyes towards the ceiling and he might be deciphering what's going on upstairs or praying to God for deliverance. 

Kids scream and push past each other for escape from the cracking ceilings and falling furniture like rats from a burning ship. "Evan, get them out of here! Jean, Jean are you okay?" 

"I'm fine, just worry about the kids! Kitty and Kurt are trapped upstairs--" 

"Let's go!" In full fearless-leader mode, Scott runs up the staircase as fast as he can hanging onto the railing for dear life with Jean in tow as the ground rumbles beneath him. Running and half-falling down the hall they enter the dark room 

"Kurt! We need to take this outside!" 

"You got it!" Kurt touches Lance and Pietro on the shoulders as his teammates hang on to him 

*BAMF* 

Kurt, Kitty, Scott, Jean, Lance and Pietro are standing in an open field. Duncan Matthews' house is about two hundred feet away. The music has stopped, there are no more tremors and the earth is quiet save for the screeching of tires as cars pull out of the driveway. 

Scott's eyes glow red behind his shades. 

"If you two knuckleheads want to bash each other's heads in, be my guest!! But I'll be _damned_ if you're going to let loose with your powers and put other people in danger!" 

"Said the man with a grenade launcher behind each eyeball," Pietro mutters. "Hey Lancey-boy, I _got something for ya!_" 

A flash of silver accompanied by a cold gust of wind. 

CRACK! 

Pietro is now standing behind Lance who is rubbing his jaw with two half-gloved fingers. 

"Always knew we'd get to this point, Pietro," Lance laughs, apparently now half-sober. 

Pietro stands with arms akimbo. "You know, I could _pretend_ that I have an idea of what the hell you're talking about, but--" 

"Shut up! Just shut up! DAMN YOU!" 

The X-Men can only stare from the sidelines with their mouths hanging open as the two leading members of the Brotherhood duke it out, trading accusations and insults with punches. 

"You never returned that Festering Boils CD I lent you!" 

"That's cause Blob sat on the coffee table before I could retrieve it!" 

"Quit making excuses! You're always taking everything of mine--" *PUNCH* "--and wrecking it!" 

"_Lookwho'stalkingrocktumbler! AtleastIdidn'tbringdownhalfthesecondflooronourheadswhenIlosearoundofmonopoly!_" 

"...What?!" 

"_YOUHEARDME!_" 

"Man, can't you guys go anywhere without starting a fight?!" 

"SHUT UP, SUMMERS!" both of them yell in unison. 

Something inside Pietro goes 

_SNAP_

and he unleashes a hurricane of punches against his best friend. Quicksilver becomes white lightning attacking a solid oak tree. Lance falls to the ground, his face bloody. Kitty cries out something but no one hears. Pietro stands above Lance with an unreadable expression, his chest heaving but not from exhaustion. 

_Footsteps..._ the X-Men turn to look at their last teammate walking towards them through the grass. 

"Hey. The cops are on their way. Someone must have complained about the noise." 

"Anyone injured, Evan?" Scott asks loudly. 

"No, not really. Just drunk, confused and scared out of their minds. The house is still intact. Just looks like a really wild party." 

"Good. Then we're outta here. C'mon..." Scott's firm, smooth palm lands on Kitty's shoulder. "Let's leave these two to work out their...issues." 

Kitty looks from Lance to Scott, then she looks at Pietro. He does not look at her. What can Kitty do but turn to leave with her teammates even though her every fiber is screaming for her to remain and say or do something anything 

Lance lies on his side. His blood is black in the moonlight. "She's mine..." his voice is still heavy with liquor 

Pietro is like a proud, white eagle. "Because you love her, I'll forget that you tried to kill me tonight. Try again and we are no longer brothers. I don't care how much you think you love her. Do. Not. Tell. Me. What. To. Do. Ever." He turns and walks away, not even bothering to use his super speed, leaving Lance alone in the field. 

So much for brotherhood. 

  
**Again, a gazillion apologies for the delay! I had a hard time writing this chapter--at first I wanted the fight between Lance and Pietro to be funny but it turned out a lot darker than I planned :P Don't get me wrong, I still love Lance but I think if he fought Quickie he'd get his ass kicked^^ Lemme know if you think this chapter sucked--don't worry this is definitely NOT the end...**


End file.
